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Joo Leong Café

Joo Leong Café (裕隆茶室) is a kopitiam (traditional coffeehouse) at Sungai Tiram, near the Penang International Airport. Occupying a wooden house, this long-timer eatery is a popular breakfast spot among locals.

The signature dish here is Roti Bakar (烘面包, RM2.00). Two slices of Bengali bread are toasted in an oven, then sweetened butter is spread on its hot surface. While the bread is not particularly bombastic, the butter has an inexplicable appeal to the palate. Some people prefer to dip toasted bread into half-boiled eggs, but I personally find this distasteful.

Meanwhile, Telur Separuh Masak (半生熟鸡蛋, RM1.80) is another must-have here. The yolky emulsion of two half-boiled eggs is a great way to enjoy a protein-rich breakfast.

As for Kopi O (咖啡乌, RM1.10), the coffee is slightly sour due to acidity of roasted coffee. Personally, I prefer my coffee to have bolder flavor. Nevertheless, the stimulating aroma of coffee is certainly welcoming.

For heavier meals, there are also several packets of noodles and nasi lemak (coconut milk rice) on the table.

My choice today is Mee Hoon Mee (米粉面, RM1.40). A mixture of rice vermicelli and yellow noodles is stir-fried with soy sauce. Slices of green chili peppers and sweet-sour-spicy chili sauce is added to improve the taste. Unfortunately for me, my pack of noodles is cool. It would have been nicer if it were still warm.

Although not necessarily the best kopitiam that Penang has to offer, it is easy to understand why Joo Leong Café appeals to locals. The homely, down-to-earth ambience here provokes nostalgia to city dwellers who need a break from the urban lifestyle.